Chapter 40

*****Lauren's POV*****

Normani and I were currently at her friend Claire's house, where Normani currently had her head laying in my lap. We were just watching movies and doing activities that kept Mani's heart rate down. Ella was actually supposed to be coming over after she got off work. She was gonna get off early today and comr by to do a "check up" on Normani. If anything, she wanted to check out Normani. I knew Arin was a great guy, but he messed up. And Ella was here and willing to treat Normani right. But it was Normani's choice in the end, and I'd be cool with whoever she chooses. 

"Lauren?" Normani called out, getting my attention. "What's up mani?" "Thanks for coming after me. If it wasn't for you, I may be dead right now" she said shyly. I reached down and grabbed her hand, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. "It's no big deal. I love you, so of course I was coming after you. If not me, then Dinah or Arin. They wanted to come, but they thought your were so mad you didn't want to see them". 

****Normani's POV****

Wow.....they did still care about me. Arin, he still cared about me. I sighed sadly and felt one tear stream down my face, and I tried to make sure no one would see me....but Lauren did. "What's wrong Mani?" she asked, and I sat up next to her. "I miss Dinah and Arin" I said, trying to hold back my tears. "Aww Mani" she said, pulling me into a hug. I just cried and cried and cried. "It's okay. It's okay Normani. I Believe me, they miss you just as much as you miss them" Lauren said, rubbing my back.

When I finally stopped crying, I wanted to thank Lauren. "Thank you Lo. I'm so glad you and Dinah are together. You're the best girlfriend she's ever had" Lauren pulled back from the hug real quick. "Wait, other girlfriends?!" She asked confused. "She hasn't told you about any of them?" Lauren nodded no, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go call Dinah". 

Oh no, what did I just do?

****Lauren's POV****

I opened my computer and got on a video chat with Dinah. "Hey baby" she said, a sad look plastered on her face. I was angry at first, but I just melted after seeing how pitiful she was. "You didn't find him, did you babe?" I asked sadly. She looked down at her hand, sniffling a little. "I'm sorry boo, we'll find him. I should be home by the end of this week so we can look together". "You're coming home?!?!" she asked excitedly, and squealed when I nodded yes. "I miss you and Normani so much. Please come home". "I'll be home soon darling, I promise".

We talked a little while longer, and then Ella arrived so I told Dinah I had to go. "Normani's getting her check up now. Once that's done, I'll be able to let you know exactly when I can come home" I said. "Okay, text me when you know what's up. Bye baby, Love you". "I love you too Dinah, bye". And I did love that girl, but how was I gonna tell her I cheated.

Claire let Ella in, and she smiled widely the minute her eyes hit Normani. I looked in her hands and saw a little boque of pink roses, and I knew who they were for. "Hey Normani" she said while walking over to her, "These are for you". "Aww" Normani said, walking over and hugging her and taking them from her, "You didn't have to". Ella blushed and said "Consider it a 'get well soon' gift". Normani smiled at her and then went to put them in a vase. I went over to Ella, nudging her shoulder. "Look at you, casanova. Very smooth" I said, and she blushed even more. "I try to impress" she said, and then Normani came back in.

"Okay Normani, I think we need to get this check up done. Is there anywhere we can sit down privately?" Ella said, and then Normani took her hand and pulled her out the room. I smirked at Ella and winked at her as Normani pulled her out of the room. This is my chance to figure out what actually happened that night. I got to interogate Claire now. 

"Claire?" I called from across the room, and I saw her flinch. She knew what was about to happen right now, and she should be scared. "Mind if I talk to you for a minute?" I said, and moved next to her and the couch. She sighed and looked down at her lap, "You wanna talk about what happened that night?" I nodded, "Yeah, I need to know what happened. The whole story from the minute she got here".

She told me how Mani came to her house and how she and Normani had a few drinks, and then it got more real. She and a couple friends had Mani smoking hookah, and she got hooked and bad too. She wanted to go out to the club but she got too drunk, and just started to except anything from anyone. "She just went wild and started anything from anybody. I couldn't stop her" Claire said, her breathing picking up a little bit. I grabbed her hands, "Hey, it's okay. It's over now. She's here and she's alive".

She nodded, but she still looked like she was losing it. I slowly pulled her shaking body into me, "Shhh, it's okay Claire". "It's all over". I held her to me, rocking us back and forth until she was chill again. "You're a good person Lauren, don't ever change" she said. "Thanks, now why don't you just lay down a bit?" I suggested and she did just that. I think I'm gonna be a good mom one day, and I would gladly have Dinah's kids some day. One day.

****Arin's POV****

2 days. 4 hours. 27 minutes. And 1, 2, 3, 4 ,5, 6 seconds. That's how long they've had me in solitude right now. I knew if I lost track of time that I would lose myself. This is how they broke you in prison. They put you in these cells for a week or two to "Keep the other prisoners safe". No, they did this to make you go crazy. No clocks, no way to keep the time. No phones, tv's, or radios, no way to stay connected to the outside world. I would not let them break me again. I was staying strong and keeping my mind sharp while I was in here. I was going to stay sane.

I got on my knees and used my fingers to unscrew a nail from the bed. I put it against the brick wall, attempting to carve into the wall. When I finally got it to work, I started writing verses on the wall. The minute I got put into this cell, they just started popping into my head:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”-Joshua 1:9

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.-Phillippians 4:13

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.-Romans 8:28

Those were just a few of the ones that were in my head. By the time I was done, two walls were filled with inspirational quotes from the bible. I had read the bible straight through when I was in jail the first time, and they were all coming back to me at once. In the middle wall of the room, I started writing a letter:

Dear Inmate, 

I was in your position when I wrote this, and I know how hard it is in here. They take you here and try to break you down to nothing. They hold you in this cage like an animal for a week or more. They do this to dehumanize you and make you lose yourself. They keep you disconnected from the world, and you lose a little more each day that you are in here.Write down the days so that you don't lose the time. If you lose the time, you'd lose a lot.You just have to find something that keeps you sane, and latch onto it for the entire time you're in here. What makes you happy?

Music is one thing. Just write the lyrics and even sing to yourself if you have to. That's one thing I've done. I also held on to my religion and turned to God in my time of need. And then I thought of my reason for needing to get out of here. I have someone outside who I hurt, and I'm trying to fix things. You need to fix what you've done. You don't have to be that person. FIght so that you can get out of here, and changed what you've done. Fix yourself in here instead of turning into an animal.

7 hours. 33 minutes. 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 seconds.